Monday, March 31, 2014

Past 4 months have been pretty adventurous for me. I
tried activities which have been on my wish list for long time. While it was fun
to do all these things, I also had to face criticism for wasting money on these
activities. Nevertheless

1. Cross country bike ride: This was the only activity I
didn’t pay for, thanks to invite from Thailand Tourism Authority. The longest
one of all, lasted 1 week and 2000kms. The biking trip was well documented on
NDTV Good times and was aired recently. Enjoyed riding powerful bike in the
company of amazing riders. Got to explore most of northern Thailand, which I
might not have explored on my own had it not been for this event. If organized
on our own, such trips can cost INR 1.5 lakhs onwards. Read more about Ride Thailand here. After this trip I am resisting heavy temptation to buy a fast
bike.

Except the biking expedition, all other activities were
tried in Karnataka itself, not anywhere else in India or world. Indeed Karnataka
offers wide range of adventure sports option- check this post for details.

2. Skydiving: At an expense close to 30k, it was a luxury
indulgence. But the 35 seconds of free fall was all worth it. Should try few
more dives- probably a solo when situation permits next time.

3. White water rafting: Kali river is the best place in
Karnataka to try rafting. We did it in Jan, which was the right time. The 12 km
ride had a few rapids and we enjoyed our moments in water, while heading
downstream on River Kali. Unfortunately I don’t have photos of this activity,
but then, there’s always another time. (We can try rafting in Badhra river,
Kaveri river and River Sita as well). At Rs 1400 per person, white water rafting
was the cheapest of all adventure activities among ones listed
here.

4. Scuba diving: From 10000 ft above earth to 10 meters
below sea level, Scuba diving gives a different experience. Being able to view
the sea bed and corals, just the way we see it in Discovery Channel, Scuba
diving is a good experience to have. One can try it in Murudeshwara, or at Goa. [More details]

5. Microlight flying: You don’t need a pilot’s license to
fly. With a trained instructor besides you, everyone can try their hands
controlling a small plane. Microlight flying involves going up in the air, to a
small height of about 1000 ft and then making minor navigations of the plane
under the guidance of the trainer. I wasn’t even aware that one can try this in
Bengaluru all these days.

I have few more items in my wishlist- hot air balloon
ride, skiing and desert safari. But nothing planned in near future. My next
challenge will be to drive around in Northern India and return the car without
any dents and scratches. I guess that will be far more adventurous.

When you get old, you’ll regret about things you wanted
to do but never managed to, than things you might have achieved – such as house
and cars. Don’t give that a chance. If your heart is on something, go ahead and
do it.